This invention relates to ceramics and more particularly to aluminosilicate ceramics.
Future classes of advanced tactical missiles will require new ceramic materials for radomes to meet the stringent requirements arising from greater speeds (up to Mach 8) and longer flight times. The critical need is to develop ceramic materials stable up to at least 1400.degree. C. with low and thermally stable dielectric constant (.epsilon.) and loss tangent, low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and high thermal shock and rain erosion resistance. Presently used slip cast fused silica (SCFS) has excellent dielectric and thermal properties for radomes, but the relatively low strength and rain erosion resistance of this material limit its future application. For this reason, research conducted on radome materials is directed both toward improvement of the mechanical properties of SCFS and development of new candidate ceramics.